


A Step To The Right

by VillainVogue



Series: The Other Side(s) [2]
Category: Sanders Sides (Web Series)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Gen, Roleswap
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-29
Updated: 2020-08-11
Packaged: 2021-03-06 02:40:15
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 8
Words: 10,467
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25595917
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/VillainVogue/pseuds/VillainVogue
Summary: Remus leaves after Logan's name reveal wishing that things could be different. He should've been a little more specific. (Or: A glimpse at what's going on in the canon universe during A Little Bit To The Left, from an outside perspective.)
Relationships: Anxiety | Virgil Sanders & Dark Creativity | Remus "The Duke" Sanders, Dark Creativity | Remus "The Duke" Sanders & Deceit | Janus Sanders, Dark Creativity | Remus "The Duke" Sanders & Logic | Logan Sanders
Series: The Other Side(s) [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1852681
Comments: 71
Kudos: 49





	1. Creativity

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Remus wakes up in a room that is and is not his own.

_"Logan? Seriously, that's your name? Talk about a letdown, I would've thought it'd be something cooler, more intimidating, not 'nerdy Wolverine'."_

_"What a **helpful** contribution, Roman--sorry, I mean **Remus**. It's so hard to tell the two of you apart, you know."_

_Remus looked to Thomas and Janus, expecting some kind of backup, protest, anything, but they were silent, Janus staring at the floor and Thomas focused on a spot on the wall over Remus' shoulder._

Remus doesn't make wishes often (at least, not without then taking action to make them happen), but for today, for this disaster, he's reconsidering. It's better to focus on that than to think about what happened, although the too-fresh memory is still playing and replaying in his mind.

_"Are you guys really going to let him talk to me like that? I mean, we shouldn't be listening to Agent Lie-Smith in the first place, he's not a good guy, Thomas, what he represents isn't **you** \--"_

_"--Except it **is** me." Thomas is frowning now, frowning at him, Remus hates it. "Deceit, Logan, he's a part of me as much as you are, Remus, whether you like it or not."_

_"But I--"_

_"Remus." It's Janus' turn to finally speak up, and his eyes are wide and pleading. "It's all right. You'll always be a part of the team, you know that. No-one wants to leave you out, no-one wants to leave you behind."_

_Thomas seems to pick up the thread of the conversation, his new knowledge of Roman's existence helping to clue him in on Remus' worst fear._

_"Hey. We'd never replace you, okay? I would never, **ever** want to replace you."_

_Across from him, Logan nods, his face unreadable now that his sunglasses are back on, but Remus takes his meaning all too well._

_"Yeah. Right." He says, trying and failing to keep the emotion out of his voice, and then he sinks out._

Janus stopped trying to talk to him through the closed and double-bolted door a while ago, Remus isn't sure how long. It's hard to care, when all he wants to do is curl up under his mint-green comforter, go to sleep, and wake up to anything else but the aftermath of today's events.

Somehow, sleep eventually does find him, and when he wakes up, it seems he has indeed been granted that wish.

The bed is a four-poster, the curtains and bedspread a dark elegant red. His murals are gone from the walls, as far as he can tell, because posters from Disney movies and Broadway shows cover nearly every inch of the room, aside from the floor, which is littered with craft supplies, rejected sketches, and notes for old ideas. And for some inexplicable reason, there's a katana propped up against the vanity where his cutlass ought to be.

Either this is an overly elaborate practical joke (most likely Roman messing with him), or his room was unconsciously altered thanks to yesterday's... incident.

Well, he's not in a hurry to find out, so the first order of business today is going to be restoring everything back to normal. Well, 'everything' as it pertains to his room, at least. He doesn't have the ability to repair Logan's hurt feelings, or fix the increasingly strained relationship between Janus and Virgil, but at least he can do this. At least he's not totally useless.

Remus hauls himself up and out of the unfamiliar bed, eyes alighting on one of the many discarded sketches on the floor--it's a cartoon-y drawing, too 'cutesy' for his own style, of a fantastical animal character that looks like something Roman would've made were it not for the fact that the adorable little thing hasn't been horrifically dismembered.

He picks up another paper, this time a florid poem with about half of the lines crossed out. The writing is loopy and nearly incomprehensible to his eyes (not just because the ink color is too bright), which means it must be Roman's note, but Remus has never known him to edit his works, or to write something this long without any innuendos or horrible twists.

He hadn't thought his brother capable of such feats. After all, Remus is supposed to be the organized twin, the thoughtful twin, the helpful twin, the twin that _makes sense_ and makes things that Thomas can be proud to show off to the world. Not Roman, only Remus.

Remus shakes his head, setting the few papers he's collected on the already-overfull desk. It's looking more and more likely that his own insecurities have twisted his room and its contents around while he was sleeping, and as much as he doesn't want to face the others today, it's a better option than staying here any longer than necessary, in case anything else starts to change as a result of his stray thoughts.

He attempts to get dressed, but his clothes have all been replaced as well, and none of it (aside from a pair of black pants) is anything like what he'd usually wear. For one, red and gold are not his colors, for another, the uniform-like tops look uncomfortable and restricting. Eventually, he settles on a more plain-looking white uniform-style jacket that he leaves unbuttoned atop a Beauty and the Beast tee-shirt that's probably supposed to be part of a pajama set.

He writes off his trademark green sash as a lost cause, for now, and after pulling on his boots (the only item in his wardrobe seemingly unaffected by the changes), he's out the door...

...and crashing straight into Virgil, who looks like he's having an even worse time of things. The usual dark bags under his eyes are much darker than usual, and he's wearing more casual clothing than Remus has seen on him for a very long time. He hadn't even thought Virgil _owned_ a hoodie.

Virgil's eyes narrow when he realizes who he's collided with, which hurts a little--sure, the two of them haven't been the best of friends lately, but Remus had thought they were still on relatively good terms--and then he glances behind Remus, and his glare intensifies.

Remus is just about to open his mouth and ask what's wrong when 'Virgil' grabs him by the collar of his jacket, his strange new voice crackling and booming like thunder.

" **What did you do to Roman?** "

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you haven't read A Little Bit To The Left, this might be a confusing fic for you, since they're meant to be read as a pair. I would recommend reading at least a few chapters of that first before continuing with this one. Which should be easy right now since there's only one chapter here to read!


	2. Anxiety

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Virgil gives Remus a shock, not that he means to.

_" **What did you do to Roman?** "_

Remus steps back, bumping into the now-closed door of his room, and puts his hands up in surrender. "Easy, Weird Science, I've been in my room all morning. You, uh, sound like you had a rough night..."

Virgil scowls at him. "That's not your room, dipshit."

Remus' gaze slides over to the nameplate, which merely reads 'Creativity' in flowing red-gold script instead of silver-green, but is otherwise unchanged. This does nothing to clarify what Virgil means. "...Did it move? Or did someone move me into a fake version of my room in the night? Are we even talking about the same door? Seriously, Virgil, I understand what's going on about as much as you do right now."

Virgil keeps glaring at him for a moment longer, and then he looks down and away with a heavy sigh, letting go of Remus' lapels. "Yeah. Yeah, should've figured. Things are weird right now, and I'm stressed, obviously. I overreacted."

"Obviously." Remus parrots, feeling a little more at ease. 'Obviously' is Virgil's favorite word, and the sound of it restores what little sense of normalcy Remus had left. "I get that, Virge, it's fine. Goodness knows I'm having a weird morning myself."

He adjusts his jacket while Virgil fusses with the sleeves of his hoodie. The silence is uncomfortable. Remus has never liked silence, so naturally, he decides to break it.

"...So something's up with Roman, huh? Don't tell me he's pissed at Deceit, too."

Virgil's head shoots up, his eyes wide. "Wh--Dude, what do you mean, 'too'? I would've thought that 'evil twin' comment would be, like, a _compliment_ for you."

He clearly misinterpret's Remus' burgeoning frown, because he quickly continues. "I mean, you always seem to take stuff like that... y'know, that way."

Remus tilts his head, trying to catch Virgil's eye as the Side averts his gaze once more. "Did you get a concussion or something when you got yoinked out of frame? 'Cause that's not what he said about me."

Virgil's brow furrows in confusion. "When would _I_ have been--"

Footsteps sound further down the hall, around the corner, and Virgil tenses. " _Ugh_. Okay, let's get out of the hallway... Don't touch anything in my room."

He takes Remus' arm and they sink out, popping up in a dark space that Remus would've described as eerie if it hadn't been for the cartoonish spider curtains and the Tim Burton poster on the wall. He's a little dizzy from simply popping in as opposed to rising up, but doesn't think too much of it--Virgil's been trying out some new stuff, Remus figures this is just one more thing on the list.

But as he recovers, he realizes that the different mode of transportation is the least of the things he ought to be concerned about, because this vaguely creepy space covered in cobwebs is clearly meant to be _Virgil's room_.

"Wow. Uh, I get that we're all having some minor identity crises right now, Doc, but why'd you get rid of the lab?"

Instead of noting his correct use of the plural form of 'crisis', Virgil focuses on the later part of the sentence. "Um. What lab? I know I've never let you in here that much, but even so, you should still know that I've never had a lab. Why would I have a lab?"

There's a pit in Remus' stomach. "Okay, okay, cool, so, uh, something is definitely wrong with one of us memory-wise, and I really hope it's not me, because I don't want to go crazy, but also if it's _you_ , that's probably worse, because I mean, when _Logic_ goes off the deep end, then you _know_ it's bad--"

Virgil, thankfully, cuts him off before he can spiral further. "Whoa, whoa. Logic? Dude, just because I have a shred of common sense doesn't mean I'm at Logan levels of smartness or whatever. I have _a_ braincell, not _the_ braincell."

Remus opts to ignore the mention of his new least favorite Side in favor of focusing on the real issue. "Okay, let's pretend--or call it an experiment, whatever you prefer!--that for all intents and purposes, I've lost my memory. Remind me what your function-slash-title is?"

Virgil looks around like he's expecting it to be suddenly revealed that he's on a hidden-camera show. "...You know what it is. Unless you've got a concussion. Which is actually very possible, now that I think about it."

"Please, just humor me?" Remus' puppy-dog eyes have never worked particularly well on Virgil, but today, they're met with a look of disdain rather than the usual exasperated fondness. Even so, Virgil eventually capitulates, and the result sends a chill down Remus' spine.

"I'm Anxiety. Happy?"

The air seems to turn colder, the shadows grow larger and longer, and Virgil starts to chew on his bottom lip as Remus falls silent out of sheer shock and no small amount of terror.

Remus' mind is racing. It makes sense, in a way--the shadows under his eyes that seem to work like Patton's tear tracks, the darkness of the room, the _hoodie_. But he doesn't want to admit what's happened, doesn't want to face the possibility that he's stuck here in this world where things are _wrong_ , doesn't want to think about what _else_ is different in this version of the Mindscape, _who else_ is different--

Virgil hisses, suddenly, and it jolts Remus out of his thoughts.

"Sorry to intrude--but not to worry, Virgil I won't overstay my welcome. I'm just here for Remus."

A smooth voice cuts in, sounding as wrong in its oily tone as the scales covering the new arrival's face. Somehow, Remus finds his voice again, having gone straight (ha ha, 'straight') through shock and out the other end.

"What the _heck_ , Janus?"


	3. Deceit

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Janus does a wonderful job of putting Remus' worries to rest. No, really.

_"What the **heck** , Janus?"_

The Side in question raises an eyebrow. "Oh, if you're using G-rated language, we definitely _don't_ need to talk."

He reaches for Remus, but Virgil, bless him, steps forward to insert himself as a protective barrier between them. "You can talk with him from there just fine, _Jan_."

Janus rolls his mismatched eyes. Remus locks on to the snakelike pupil and chartreuse iris on Janus' left side, the eye that in Remus' memory should be warm and golden and _human_. His stomach turns. Virgil and Janus and Remus are supposed to be the good guys. What happened to them in this universe? What _are_ they? Oh, mother of Persephone, what does this universe's version of _him_ look like?

Janus inclines his head. "What an _excellent_ idea, Virgil. You can see for yourself that your room isn't having _any_ effect on him _at all_."

Virgil looks at Remus and grimaces. "Oh, shit."

Remus' eyebrows shoot up, because Virgil just cursed in front of _Janus_ , but Virgil seems unbothered by the fact and continues on. "That's weird, he's never had any problems here before--I mean, not that I let Remus in my room a lot, but..."

He sighs, and steps aside. "Yeah, you should get him out of here. Sorry, Reek."

Before Remus can protest either the decision or the horrible choice of nickname, Janus sweeps them both out the door and into the hallway, and then the door to Virgil-- _Anxiety's_ \--room is shut, and they're alone.

Janus attempts to sink them both out, but Remus pulls away. "Nope. Nuh-uh, Scary Poppins, no thank you. I'm disoriented enough as it is, and you do not want me throwing up on your fancy cape."

The other Side shrugs, but acquiesces, instead leading him down the corridor. "I've never had any problem cleaning up after you before, you know, it's perfectly fine. Why does it bother you all of a sudden? What were you trying so hard to deny back there?"

Remus freezes in his tracks, struck with realization. "Oh. Oh, you're _Deceit_ here."

The thought sends him reeling all over again. Janus, kind, patient Janus, who mends his shirts every time they get snagged or torn on a quest in the Imagination, who used to make shadow puppet stories with him on nights when young Thomas was too wired-up to sleep, Janus, a _Dark Side_. Remus can imagine so many fantastical things, but he never could have dreamed this up.

Janus peers at him with obvious concern. "Here? Remus, what..."

He trails off, searching Remus' face like it holds the answer to life, the universe, and everything. After a long moment, he blinks, and steps back. "...Duke?"

Remus grimaces, and shakes his head, so Janus tries again. "Ah. Prince, then? Yes? All right, Prince Remus. Do you know how you got here? Of course I'm _fully aware_ of the _entire_ situation, so..."

He tugs at his gloves, looking at Remus expectantly, and even though the eyes are different, the look is the same one that sends Remus conjuring kittens and figuring out how to make clouds you can walk on. So, as they walk, Remus recounts the events of yesterday (ignoring the indecipherable expression that crosses Janus' face when he lists him as Morality) and everything from waking up this morning to his brief but unpleasant time in Anxiety-Virgil's room.

Janus nods along, lips pursing occasionally, but remaining silent until Remus is finished.

"I suppose that all makes sense. Inasmuch as any of it can, of course. But why the mild language earlier?"

Remus smiles faintly, wry but fond. "The other you set up a swear jar when Thomas was like, thirteen. It's not really a thing anymore, but, y'know, old habits die hard."

Janus snorts, undignified, and for a moment, while he's trying very hard not to laugh, it's like Remus is back home.

"Sssssorry," The other Side eventually manages, the hissing sound catapulting Remus back into his present reality, "I'm not laughing at you, I promise, it's jusssst--it's such a strange thought, that I would, and that _you_ \--"

 _"--threw a kid in a well, don't ask me I'll never tell, I will regret this in Hell, but he was in my way..."_ The song echoes down the hallway, coming from around the corner at the opposite end, and Remus would recognize the high, nasal voice anywhere.

Janus glances at him, and seems to pick up on the fact that he's now very uncomfortable, because he quickly ushers Remus in the opposite direction.

"It's fine, you don't have to see him if you don't want to. You don't, right?" Remus is quick to confirm the answer with a shake of his head. "Okay. Then you're going to wait in here, and I'm going to distract him. I'll be back as soon as I can, and we'll get this whole thing sorted out."

"Major Scales? Is that you?" Remus' own voice with the too-sharp edge is a little closer now, and Janus grimaces, opening a pale blue door and shoving Remus inside.

The door closes, and Remus presses his ear to it, but all he can hear is the muffled voice of Janus getting farther away.

"Uh, hey there, Remus, I wasn't expecting you..."

He turns. Patton is standing behind him, his arms full of baking supplies and his face a mask of forced cheer. Remus can do nothing but stare and wait for Patton to pipe up again.

"So, uh... C-can I help you, kiddo?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> EDIT: This is what canon!Remus was singing, because of course it was: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YXINqOIjOM4


	4. Morality

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Patton and Remus bond over cookies, which appears to be a theme in my Sanders Sides fics, but hey, if it ain't broke...

_"So, uh... C-can I help you, kiddo?"_

The way he stutters is so undeniably the Patton that Remus knows, but the color scheme is much too light. He's got his cat hoodie on, not tied around his shoulders, and even though it's a soft grey instead of black, even though this Patton isn't Anxiety, Remus is sure that's still the usual sign that Patton's having an 'off' day.

He attempts a smile, slowly bringing up a hand to wave. He knows how jumpy his Patton gets at sudden movements and loud noises, has learned the hard way exactly how far he can push his luck before Anxiety gets overwhelmed and retreats, or lashes out.

But, he remembers, this is not Anxiety. The Janus he left out in the hallway is not Morality, either, that Janus is not his best friend with the soft, kind eyes who brings him homemade soup and wipes away his tears on bad days and tells him _take heart, dear prince, the sun always shines brighter after the rain and so will you, so will you_. Remus always thought they made the perfect team--the Prince and the Conscience, the hero and the sidekick, the artist and the inspiration.

But they don't fit right together any more. Maybe they never did.

Remus doesn't realize he's started crying until he sees a blurry version of Patton hurriedly set his baking supplies on the nearest counter and rush forwards to wrap him up in the warmest hug he's had in a long time.

"Aw, hey, it's okay--just let it out, I've got you."

Remus sobs, internally cursing the fact that he seemed to get all the sensitivity and insecurity in the Split. Roman wouldn't cry like this--he's never seen Roman cry, he's not even sure Roman _can_.

...But Roman's first instincts, he eventually finds it in him to remind himself, are to 'find the problem and kill it', so perhaps Remus is better off with his tender, weak heart. Better to care too much than too little. That's what Janus would tell him, what Virgil would tell him too. Although perhaps they wouldn't say that, now.

He's saved from spiraling any deeper into his sorrow by the sound of fluttering. He looks up from where he's buried his face in Patton's shoulder to see a piece of yellow paper with neat, precise handwriting floating in midair.

"Oh, that must be from Janus--" Patton reaches out and snags it, pulling away from Remus slightly as he reads. Reading backwards, Remus can just barely make out his own name, and Logan's, before Patton sets it down and looks back up at him.

"Well..." He begins, grimacing. "I think I understand why you're upset, kiddo. I'm so sorry..."

Remus' shoulders slump, half in relief, and half in disappointment. "He told you everything?"

Patton nods. "He also said I should take you to Logan for when he gets back."

Remus must flinch visibly at the name, because something in Patton's expression softens. "...But I think he's going to be a while, so how about you help me make some cookies first? A-and we can do a batch for you with any additions you'd like! Even weird ones!"

There's something in the way Patton holds himself that makes Remus feel like he's bracing for something, but he can't tell what. His tastes are a little off-the-wall sometimes, sure, but it's not like he's an _oatmeal raisin_ fan. He's not _Virgil_.

"Do you know how to make thin mints?"

Patton visibly relaxes. "I sure do! Okay, first things first, let's get our ingredients together..."

Despite everything, Remus finds himself smiling as Patton pulls him into the kitchen. This is the one thing he and Patton have always had in common--Janus is a wonderful chef, but a terrible baker. Remus is the one with the attention to detail, Patton is the one wanting to follow the precise instructions and measurements, and although his Patton's never quite so confident in the kitchen as the Patton before him, working together on this is familiar, comforting.

Remus is starting to understand why his Patton is a stress-baker. The task is a good outlet for his nervous energy, taking his mind off the strange situation he's in and grounding him in something he can control. Maybe there's something to be said for Virgil's whole 'refocusing' idea beyond an excuse to watch Pixar movies.

The first batch goes into the oven, and Patton sets the timer, leaving them both to settle into an only mildly awkward silence.

Eventually, however, it ends as Patton timidly puts forth a question.

"Are you mad at him? Your Morality?"

Remus hesitates. He knows what Patton's really asking. He thinks his Janus might be wondering the same thing, if his attempts to talk to Remus through a locked door last night are any indication. "...I'm upset. But I'd be more upset at myself if I lost him as a friend because of one disagreement."

Patton lets out a thoughtful hum. "I think that's a good sign that you'll be all right, in the end. It might take some time, to get back to where you were, the friendship you had, but... We'll get there. All of us. Just as long as we're all willing to keep trying."

The silence is much more comfortable after that, but just as the timer is about to ring, there's a knock at the door and a clipped voice that makes Remus' stomach sink with dread.

"Patton? Is Remus with you? Could either of you provide an explanation for this note from Janus, and for why neither of you have come to see me as he instructed?"

Patton cringes. "Oh, shoot, I guess we lost track of time. Coming, Logan!"

He shoots Remus an apologetic glance and goes to open the door. Remus braces himself for the sight of those cold, glowing eyes that stripped his soul bare only yesterday, unsure if that would be a worse fate than having to look at himself in the impassive reflection of Logan's sunglasses, but...

The Logan that stands in the doorway is nothing like he expected.


	5. Logic

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Logan develops a theory.

_The Logan that stands in the doorway is nothing like he expected._

Really, only the tie and the stiff, carefully controlled way this Logan holds himself seem to be the same. Yet, Remus isn't even sure if he should be relieved by this--after all, it's another reminder of how different things are here, of how much of a stranger he is to this Mindscape.

Before he can make up his mind, this strangely ordinary-looking Logan speaks.

"Good, you're both here. Patton, Janus' note was frustratingly vague, perhaps you can explain what exactly is 'wrong' with Remus." The slight curl of his lip is suddenly all too familiar to Remus, and the realization that yes, some part of this Logan is still the same as the one that verbally eviscerated him yesterday, it steals the voice from him. Thankfully, Patton is quick to step up to his defense.

"Well, it's not that there's anything wrong with Remus, technically, it's that he's not the _right_ Remus."

Logan sighs. "That does nothing to clarify the situation, Patton. If anything, I now have _more_ questions."

While Patton seems to deflate, Remus bristles at Logan's bluntness, somewhat emboldened by the fact that the Logan _he_ knows would have taken a more condescending tone, would have hidden his displeasure better too.

"How about _I_ explain it, _Logan_ , since I know more about it than you do?" It comes out harsh and snide, the way he'd sounded poking fun at Deceit's name, and for a moment Remus is struck with the fear that this Logan will retaliate with something equally, if not more scathing.

Instead, this Logan merely adjusts his tie. "Certainly. Perhaps we should converse elsewhere, however."

He holds out a hand, and Remus hesitates, looking towards Patton. The Side in question gives him an encouraging smile and a nod. "Go on, I'll bring you some cookies later. It'll be okay, Remus."

With the promise of thin mints firmly in mind, Remus takes Logan's hand, and the two of them sink out, rising up again in what looks to be some kind of home office.

Remus breathes an audible sigh of relief. "Boy, I'm glad we didn't pop up like I did with Virgil earlier, that was _awful_."

Logan raises an eyebrow, taking a seat at his desk and pulling out a lime green binder. He opens it, showing rows of mechanically precise lettering that appear to be notes about Remus himself--well, _this_ Mindscape's version of Remus.

He debates whether to take a closer look, whether he actually wants to see what's written about this other version of himself, but Logan clears his throat, looking expectant with pen poised to paper.

So Remus recounts the events of yesterday and this morning once more, gradually dropping his usual dramatic flair as the story goes on and he begins to grow weary of reliving the past however many hours it's been for Logan's appraisal.

When it's all been laid out and Logan's finished writing, he looks back up at Remus, quiet and thoughtful.

"Well, I don't understand how you came to be here, but I do believe you." He eventually says. "I would hazard a guess, as well, that our Roman has been sent to your Mindscape in a similar fashion."

Logan pauses, and sets his pen down with an air of finality before turning his gaze on Remus once more.

"I realize this may be... overstepping, and I would be the first to admit that I do not possess a high level of emotional intelligence, but you are obviously distressed about the altercation you had with Deceit yesterday, and I'd like to attempt to put some of your insecurities related to that incident to rest, if I may."

Remus can only nod, dumbfounded, and so Logan continues on.

"I do not say things that I don't mean, or that I don't think are true. But if I were Deceit--as, apparently, I am in another universe--I _would_. Do you understand?"

Remus nods again, though he's even more confused than he was upon waking this morning.

"I can also say with some certainty that our version of Deceit--Janus--did _not_ mean what he told Roman last night. All of their previous interactions indicate that Janus actually thinks quite highly of Roman, and it was a perceived rejection that caused him to lash out without thinking. I... know that I can be similarly rash, and similarly harsh, in this universe, despite the fact that my function suggests a certain level of wisdom and objectivity."

Logan turns away for a moment, and it might just be Remus' over-active imagination but he could swear that the other Side looks _ashamed_. "It would hardly be a stretch of the imagination, as it were, to assume that your Deceit is much the same in that regard, and that he too spoke carelessly."

Somehow, Remus manages a half-smile. "I appreciate you trying to make me feel better, H.G. Well-Meaning, I really do, but the other you chooses his words pretty carefully. Even then, he didn't sound like he was acting rashly... He sounded like he was making a lot of sense, actually. I'm not the most helpful Side."

Logan's eyes narrow. "Falsehood. You're infinitely more useful than you think--both versions of you. We all perform a variety of functions beyond our titles, we've all shown that we possess multiple metaphorical facets of ourselves. You're more than Thomas' Creativity, and you _already know that_. Don't let anyone convince you otherwise, Remus, no matter how confident or intelligent they sound."

Now that sounds like the Logan that Remus thought he knew, the one from the theatre and the courtroom who spoke in passionate defense of Thomas' hopes and dreams and advocated for Remus to voice his own opinions. And it sounds _sincere_.

Remus puts a hand to his chest. It feels like the air's been punched right out of him from the sheer honesty of Logan's words.

"Wow," He manages when he finds his breath again, voice wobbling slightly. "I wish my Logan was a little more like you."

He laughs, because if he doesn't laugh, he'll probably start crying again, and he cannot afford to get dehydrated today. As if reading his mind, Logan suddenly has a glass of water in his hand, offering it up for Remus to drink his fill.

"You wish... You--Remus, that's it!" Logan springs from his desk chair, eyes gleaming with delight. Or perhaps it's mania. Remus has never been able to read Logan particularly well, and even the lack of sunglasses doesn't help in this case.

His confusion must be obvious, because Logan continues speaking while he takes the mostly-empty glass away and leads Remus out the door. "You said you made a wish, and I quote, 'that things were different'. Could it be that you were so focused on the desire for _change_ of some kind that your powers manifested in your sleep and brought you here?"

Remus shrugs, feeling a little like he's watching his Virgil explain a particularly complicated experiment--even though the Logic he knows uses simpler language, after a certain point he just gets going so _quickly_ , leaping from point to point, that it's tough to follow. "Well, this is definitely a change, so... Sure?"

He's rewarded with a nod as Logan pulls out a notebook and scribbles down short missives to the other Sides, sending them each off into the ether with a flick of his wrist before continuing down the hallway. "I hadn't suspected that Creativity could have such power, but given the circumstances it's not unreasonable to assume that you were brought here by your own devices, albeit unwittingly. This is really quite fascinating, the fact that you were able to travel across universes unconsciously has far-reaching implications for--"

"Cookies!" Patton calls from the common area as soon as he catches sight of them. "Thumbprint cookies for Logan, double dark chocolate chunk for Janus once he gets here, oatmeal raisin for Virgil--"

Remus fails to stifle a laugh. "Aw, Virge, seriously? I mean, it's nice to know some things stay the same across universes, but _ew_."

Virgil, from where he's sitting on top of the couch, opens his mouth to protest, but Patton keeps going. "--and thin mints for our visiting royalty!" 

He presents the platter of goodies once they're close enough to reach out, and Remus snags a couple thin mints while fighting a blush at the honorific he's been gifted. He retreats to the couch, careful to keep his distance from Virgil as he begins to munch on the cookies, when a thought occurs to him.

"Hey, Pat-On-The-Back, didn't you make any for yourself?"

Patton looks away, faintly grimacing. "Ah, there wasn't time. I'll do mine later, with Roman's, when he gets back..."

" _If_ he gets back." Logan corrects him, having somehow wolfed down three jam thumbprints while Remus wasn't looking. "I'm sorry, Patton, but we have to be realistic. There is a chance that we will not be able to restore normalcy in the Mindscape. We can't be certain that Remus has sufficient power in this universe to return himself to his rightful dimension, much less retrieve Roman."

Patton looks crestfallen, and the tray of cookies tilts dangerously as he visibly struggles to deal with the information Logan's presented, but before Remus can leap up to offer comfort and rescue the tray from Patton's failing grip, there's a thunderous sound down the hallway. Footsteps, rapidly approaching.

"Remus, wait!" Janus calls out, far away and just barely audible over the sound of the Duke's inevitable approach. Remus looks around for a place to hide, but there's nothing nearby, not unless--

_Aha_.

Taking a page from his brother's book, Remus dives for cover behind the TV just as the footsteps come to a halt.

"Remus, _come on_ , I'm _sure_ it's nothing--"

"--Oh, _Daddy_ , are those thin mints for _moi?_ Chocolate with toothpaste filling, my _favorite!_ How'd you guess?"

There are a lot of things Remus should be concerned about right now, but the only thing he can focus on right now, when this day has already been so _weird_ , is this: _his alternate-universe self is_ _going to eat all the thin mints_. And that will not stand. Not today, not after everything else that's gone sideways.

He pops up from behind the TV with a battle cry, wishing he had his cutlass for effect if nothing else.

"Hey! Those are mine!"

His own face stares back at him, his mouth full of mint-chocolate goodness. This, unfortunately, does not prevent his other self from speaking.

"Okay, am I hallucinating again, or is that a less stylish version of _me_ over there?"


	6. Intrusive Thoughts

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Remus comes face-to-face with his worst nightmare--himself.

_"Okay, am I hallucinating again, or is that a less stylish version of **me** over there?"_

The Duke points at him, ruffled sleeve flapping, while he sprays cookie crumbs everywhere. Remus would cringe at the mess he's beginning to make, but his mind is caught on something else.

"Less stylish? Excuse you, I woke up this morning with a wardrobe full of things I'd never wear, my options were a little limited! And that's rich coming from you, you look like--like a Disney sequel villain." He finishes a tad lamely, landing on an insult that would send his brother into fits, but the Duke merely snickers.

"This is the weirdest dream I've had in a while, and that's including the one with Mark Ruffalo and the giant tentacle monster! Say, Pattycakes, speaking of big green muscle-men, do you think you could turn into a giant frog again sometime soon? Because I wanna lick frog-you to find out if you're poisonous. Also, for the record, I thought that whole thing was _really hot--_ "

"Remus, can you not do this right now?" Virgil cuts in, finally clambering down from his perch on the couch, as Patton turns tomato-red nearby. "This is not one of your weird-ass dreams, and we're kind of in the middle of something important, in case you didn't notice."

The Duke puts a hand to his chest, feigning offence. Remus takes this opportunity to figure out how to get back out from behind the TV.

"Without _me?_ Well then, this _must_ be a dream. Hold on, let me check--" 

There's a metallic sound, at which Patton shrieks in alarm, and Remus looks up just in time to watch the Duke chop his entire hand off with a kitchen knife. He grins toothily, letting the knife vanish into the ether as he shakes out his ruffly (now-stained) sleeve, the bloody stump turning back into a hand with a loud _pop_.

"Nope, can't be a dream, 'cause I sure felt that! So... Logie-Bear, did you make me a clone? Aw, I _knew_ you secretly liked me." He's all over Logan in an instant, batting his eyelashes and draping himself around Logan's shoulders.

Logan, for his part, appears entirely unmoved, though he does turn away to ensure that the remaining thumbprint cookies he's gathered neatly onto a plate are placed somewhere safe. "I did not clone you, Remus."

The Duke goes very still, and Logan takes the opportunity to disentangle himself from the Duke's grasp and continue scarfing down the cookies.

"Then... Did Roman--did _he_ create--?"

The Duke looks at Remus, and his too-bright eyes are shining with a fear Remus recognizes all too well. It's the same fear that keeps him up at night, that pushes him to work harder than he sometimes should, to hold himself to higher standards than is healthy for his self-esteem--it's the fear of being _replaced_.

He realizes with a sickening lurch in his stomach that the Duke thinks this universe's Roman tried to create himself a better brother.

"Roman's missing," Patton says with a sniffle before Remus can speak up to reassure his counterpart that no, no matter how they fight, he'd never do that to his Roman, and the same must be true between the Duke and his brother. "And Virgil found _him_ in Roman's room."

Suddenly the Duke is upon him, brow furrowed as he pokes and prods at Remus' face--and Remus is _very_ thankful that he leaves it at just the face, as he tries not to think too hard about why the Duke's hands are sticky. For his part, Remus keeps silent (which he knows is a rarity for him no matter the universe), and allows the Duke to tilt his head this way and that, searching his eyes until he apparently finds what he's looking for.

"Not one of his creations, then. Gotcha." The Duke nods, releasing his grip on Remus and turning back to the other Sides with a little more bounce in his step than before. "This is a parallel universe kinda situation, am I right? Ooh, do you think there's an eldritch horror dimension out there? I hope that version of me is full of bugs!"

Everyone takes a moment to shudder at that particular thought, except for Logan, whose curiosity over alternate dimensions is obvious until he seems to recover himself, and his expression shutters as he addresses the Duke.

"Essentially, yes, this is a 'parallel universe kinda situation'. Actually, perhaps you could help us determine a method of retrieving Roman and sending this Remus back to his rightful place."

"Wait, what?" Virgil asks, having retreated back to his spot on the couch. "You can't be serious, Logan. He's not gonna have anything helpful to add!"

Remus flinches at the phrasing--even the words of encouragement from this Logan can't heal that fresh wound, not so quickly at least. It looks as though this is a sore spot for the Duke as well, because Remus sees his eyes narrow dangerously as a morningstar materializes in his hand. Fortunately, another Side notices the shift in tensions and steps in to rescue both Remus and his counterpart.

"On the contrary, Virgil, I think Logan's suggestion has merit." Janus cuts in, raising a hand as if to silence him (yes, Remus recognizes that gesture, and boy, does it look _wrong_ on Janus), though he lets it fall again quickly. "After all, coming up with unconventional solutions is what Remus does best."

 _Unconventional solutions_. Oh, that phrase takes Remus back, all the way to childhood--befriending the monsters Roman created and threw at him rather than fighting them as he's sure his brother intended. Enlisting Janus to help them find homes and happy endings in the Imagination. Setting up Rube-Goldberg devices around the common area with Virgil just to see what they can accomplish together. 'Unconventional solutions' are what _he_ does, too.

The Duke taps his chin in contemplation, eyes narrowed still, but far less threatening. "I mean, it should just take the power of a Creativity to reverse it, right? If that's what got 'Not-So-Despicable Me' over here in the first place."

Remus actually laughs at that, briefly pushing aside his more complex feelings towards his counterpart and allowing himself to be amused at and appreciative of the fact that even his alternate, 'dark' self uses animated-movie-based nicknames. "That does seem to be the case!"

The Duke raises his eyebrows, taking a moment of obvious delight at the rhyming response before he continues."So! I could probably take care of it on my own, if you don't mind taking the risk that Roman might not come back in one piece, or that he might come back with too many teeth or an extra limb, but..."

"What if he doesn't want to come back?" Virgil asks suddenly, and Remus can see that the dark shadows under his eyes are spreading, deepening. "I mean, all of us have been pretty hard on him lately, one way or another, he might hate us--"

"Of course he wants to come back." Another voice pipes up, and Remus realizes with a start that _he's_ the one who's speaking. "This is his home. You're his family, all of you."

He shoots the Duke a pointed look, and his counterpart returns it with a surprisingly soft smile, seeming to catch his meaning. Emboldened, Remus continues.

"I want to go home. Even though I'm upset with how things have been going lately in my universe, I want to find a way back. I mean, nothing's going to get resolved if I'm stuck in another dimension, right? Your Roman has to know that, too, he has to be feeling the same way. I don't know this version of him, but I still know my _brother_ , and as much as he pretends he doesn't care, he'd never, _ever_ abandon our Mindscape. Our _Thomas_. So I know that your Roman is trying to find a way back to you, and I'll do whatever I can to make sure he gets here."

By the time he's finished, everyone looks a little bit better--Virgil's eyeshadow is mostly back to normal, Patton's composing himself, and the Duke is full-blown grinning.

Remus meets his counterpart's eyes, and the understanding of what he has to do hits him like a lightning bolt. He draws himself up, turning to each of these strange yet familiar Sides one by one.

"Thanks for helping me figure all this out." He says to the Virgil whose sarcasm is familiar but whose style is decidedly not, and gets a half-smile and mock salute in return.

"Thanks for making sure I didn't freak out too badly." He nods to this strange scale-faced Janus with the eyes that still glitter with mischief and warmth, who ducks his head, trying and failing to hide a wry grin.

"Thanks for the cookies!" He gives Patton, the most familiar and yet the most different of all of them with his parental fretting and his overflowing _care_ , a thumbs-up, and receives a beaming smile from the Side in question.

"Thanks for the encouragement." He tells Logan, stone-cold brilliant Logan with more feelings than he'd like to admit, more like the version of him that Remus knows than either of them would have expected. His expression is neutral as he nods his acknowledgement, but his eyes tell Remus a different story.

Finally, he turns to the Duke, who stares at him with poorly disguised puzzlement, and extends his hands with a smile.

"Imagine with me?"

The Duke's eyes light up with understanding, and he's quick to take Remus' hands (again, Remus tries not to think too hard about where those hands have been and what they've been doing). They close their eyes at the same time, and as Remus envisions the faces of his family, the world he's from, he feels rather than sees the common area melt away. He feels the moment when the Duke's fingers slip from his grasp and something in the air _changes_.

He opens his eyes and looks down at his usual garb, restored. He states his relief at a return to normalcy at the same time as another voice cuts through this strange starry void he's landed in--Roman's voice.

"Oh, that's much better."


	7. Creativity (again)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Remus finds a moment in the space between worlds to speak with an unfamiliar version of his brother.

_"Oh, that's much better."_

The Side that has just spoken is wearing a military-style jacket in white and gold, with a red sash over the top. It puts Remus in mind of his favorite musical, Into the Woods. The two of them could easily be mistaken for the princes--Roman the charming one, and Remus the daring one. It's startling to think how well they could fit together, him and this unfamiliar version of Roman.

But that's not right, and that's not what Remus wants, as much as he's protested against his brother's presence in the past.

This Roman--the Prince--looks like he's thinking just about the same thing, funnily enough. Remus can't help but grin at that, lifting a hand in greeting.

"Some day, huh?" It sounds a little silly, an underwhelming introduction, but what else is he going to say to an alternate-universe version of his brother who's almost unrecognizable save for the perfectly-coiffed hair and proud posture? Thankfully, the Prince laughs, genuinely, and responds with a matching grin.

"Yeah, tell me about it!" The Prince shakes his head, and they each take a step closer to each other, making ripples in the inky, swirling galaxy surrounding them.

There's an awkward moment of quiet where Remus can tell they're both trying to find something to say, searching for something profound that'll make a good impression, or some snappy one-liner that buttons up their meeting, something that sounds film-script perfect, but it doesn't come. Instead, they both blurt out at the same time--

"They were really worried about you, you know."

The Prince's posture straightens as Remus blinks in surprise.

"About me?" The Prince looks disbelieving, even as he steps closer. "But, yesterday, I was so--"

"--yeah, I thought that about me, too, but..." Remus shrugs, finally meeting the Prince in the center of this whirling nebula. "Turns out we're both loved and appreciated, who knew?"

He's going for a wry but joking tone, except it turns out a little too honest, and the Prince grimaces in sympathy. "Okay, I think we both need to stop with the self-deprecation, it's clearly not doing either of us any favors."

Remus nearly pouts, wanting to deny it, or protest that it's his coping mechanism, or just a reflex, or _something_ , but the Prince does have a point. That's what caused all this trouble today, in a sense. Not that it makes a difference now--he can't change the past, of course. But it's not too late to change the present.

He nods minutely, chagrined but resolved in his course, and the Prince seems to take it as his cue to continue.

"You know, I'd like to be a little more like you. Both of you, actually." He points, and Remus, in his surprise, lets his gaze trail over to see the Baron speaking animatedly with the Duke in their own pocket of void-space.

"I could stand to be a little more... open." Says the Prince, and Remus nods in understanding, taking one last look at his brother, silently howling with laughter at some comment from his counterpart, who's bouncing in place with pure and undisguised glee, before he turns away to face the Prince once more.

"I could stand to be a little more bold." He responds, thinking back on Roman's explosive introduction to Thomas, the readiness and unapologetic enthusiasm with which he'd sung his wild song for the world, how easily he takes everything that's thrown his way in stride. On this Prince in front of him, who seems to always say what he thinks and nothing less, with no holding back or softening the truth.

Remus shakes his head, clearing the visions away. He tries, feebly, to take some of the heaviness off of the mood that has settled over them both. "I guess today wasn't a total loss, if we both learned something?"

For his troubles, Remus gets a smack on the shoulder and a teasing grin, though both are significantly gentler than he'd have expected from any version of his brother.

"What'd I say about self-deprecation?" The Prince asks, and Remus can't help but smile at that, in the way he always does when Roman steals his stories and sends them back having caught and poked at all the plot holes until they don't exist.

Then he lifts up a hand and musses the Prince's hair, because he can, and ducks under the Prince's arm that swings up to defend himself--or to retaliate, he can't be sure--effectively reversing their positions. Once Remus is standing on the other side, he feels it--a light tug at his core, a pull towards home, his _real_ home.

With a pang of embarrassment, Remus realizes he's gotten distracted from his objective, returning home, and that he's distracted the Prince in turn. He fights the urge to rub the back of his neck self-consciously as he speaks. "I should be going, I suppose."

The Prince nods, looking about as sheepish as Remus feels. "As should I, it would seem." He makes an aborted move to turn and glance over his shoulder, and Remus realizes that they've both been subconsciously stalling. Both of them are curious about each other, sure, but underneath that, they're afraid of what comes next, once they're restored to their original Mindscapes.

Remus sighs. They're both being foolish, and they both know it, but it still has to be said aloud.

"Whatever happens, it's going to be all right in the end. _We're_ going to be all right." Remus offers a smile that he hopes looks reassuring. The Prince blinks at him for a moment before drawing a deep breath, the tension leaving his shoulders.

"You're right. We've got this. Both of us." He says, an answering smile starting to creep onto his face. "Yeah, we've _got_ this."

Remus finds himself nodding, feeling reassured himself with the Prince's growing confidence. The knowledge that he's done something to help, the proof that he has something to offer, reminds him of his conversation with the other Logan, and some warm feeling settles into his chest, part pride and part contentment.

He extends a hand, intending for the two of them to shake hands and part ways, but the Prince laughs kindly and pulls him into a hug instead.

The Prince doesn't have that gunpowder-sulfur-smoke-smell clinging to his clothes that Remus is used to from living with the Baron, but the Prince is solid and warm and just familiar enough in the way he holds on tight, the grounding pressure just shy of discomfort, that Remus feels at ease enough to hug him back.

It doesn't last quite as long as Remus would like, but he knows it does have to end, the space they're in can't keep them forever, and he can sense that if either of them lingers too long, there'll be consequences. They seem to come to the same conclusion simultaneously, pulling back at the same time.

"It was nice to meet you--all of you." Remus says, and the Prince nods, looking slightly awkward but undeniably happy.

"Right back at you--and hey, maybe we'll see each other again sometime. You never know!"

It's a sweet sentiment, Remus thinks, and one that he hopes will prove true. The Prince shoots him one last grin before he turns and walks away into the swirling stars. Remus doesn't wait to watch him disappear--instead he steps back and away through the glittering void himself, until it dissolves into the common area of the Mindscape-- _his_ Mindscape.

The faces of his friends--his family--surround him, and Remus sighs in utter relief.

"...I _really_ missed you guys."


	8. Home

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Everything is back to normal. Sort of.

_"...I really missed you guys."_

Immediately, he's got an armful of Janus, with Patton joining in shortly after. Both of them are teary-eyed, holding onto him tightly like he might disappear on them--which is a completely valid concern after what's happened today, Remus has to admit.

"Try not to do that again, Fancy-Pants." Virgil says, patting him only semi-awkwardly on the shoulder. Remus can only smile back, overwhelmed by the warmer-than-anticipated reception. Suddenly Janus and Patton are pushed away, and Remus' brother--his actual brother--is picking him up and spinning him around, holding him tightly enough that it almost (but only almost!) feels like his ribs might break from the pressure.

Remus grows dizzy quickly, not just from the spinning sensation, but just as he's starting to feel nauseated he's set back down on the ground, and Roman punches him in the arm just hard enough to hurt. The blow unbalances Remus completely, but Patton is blessedly quick to catch him and prop him back up.

"You leave again," Roman growls, "And I'll... I--I swear, I'll..."

After a moment of fumbling for words, Roman seems to give up on the threat and instead lets out a groan, dragging both hands down his face. "...Just _don't._ Fart-face."

Remus is oddly touched by the fact that his brother seems so affected by his return, but somehow manages to hold himself together long enough to sling an arm around Roman's shoulders and muss up his hair a bit along the way (an opportunity to do so safely doesn't come around very often, you see).

"I don't plan on it... Butthead." Remus laughs as Roman does a comically exaggerated yet somehow completely genuine double-take at his words. The expression melts into a surprisingly soft, bewildered smile, and Roman rocks back and forth on the balls of his feet as the smile grows into a grin and he starts to giggle along with Remus.

As soon as the laughter dies down, Janus is back at his side, checking him over in a flurry of hands and concern.

"You're all right, aren't you? I-I'm not asking because of--" Janus pauses, waves a hand between him and Roman-- "All that just now, but... I just..."

Janus sighs, stepping back to examine his shoes. Remus can't quite see from this angle, but he'd bet anything that Janus has just started chewing on his bottom lip.

"We were worried." Patton breaks the awkward silence, tears threatening to spill over his already red-rimmed eyes. "I mean, I'm always worried, you know me, but--we thought you might not come back."

"Why's that?" Remus asks, frowning even as he moves to take Janus' hand and give it a comforting squeeze like the second nature it is.

Logan, who has been unnaturally silent until now, chooses that moment to pipe up. "Multiple reasons, technically. Partially we were concerned about the logistics, whether or not it was possible for you to return. But mostly? Well. No-one said it out loud, but it was because of what happened yesterday. We weren't sure if you would want to come back."

Patton sniffs, and Janus' shoulders start to shake as Virgil hunches in on himself and Roman crosses his arms defensively. Remus' throat tightens. Their distress is palpable, but so is their love and care.

"Hey, no." He says, quickly pulling Janus closer and beckoning the others in as well. "No, no. There's nothing that could keep me from coming back to you, got that? Nothing. Not pirates, not alternate dimensions, nothing, no matter what."

Patton and Janus and Roman all pile on him for another hug, and Virgil's hand finds his shoulder, but Logan stays distant. He's looking down, staring at his sunglasses. The lights in his eyes are dim, much dimmer than yesterday when they'd been piercing bright and cold. Remus clears his throat and waits for Logan to look up before he speaks again.

"That goes for _all_ of you." He raises an eyebrow, letting his jaw set in challenge. Daring Logan to argue, to doubt his sincerity.

Instead, he sees a smile, soft and uncertain, flash across the other Side's face, before his usual stoic demeanor reappears and the sunglasses slide back on.

"Well... Good. Because you _aren't at all_ important. To Thomas, and to the rest of us." Says Logan, who immediately begins adjusting his gloves in want of something to occupy himself. A poor disguise for how genuinely contrite he is, Remus thinks. The other Logan was almost as inscrutable as this one, at first, but he offered a window into his mind, his heart. He revealed just enough for Remus to see past the facade, and he's so glad for it.

Remus smiles back, although Logan's deliberately not looking at him at the moment. "I know. I just... Forget sometimes."

Patton snuggles closer, elbowing Roman out of the way to rest his head on Remus' shoulder. "We should tell you that more, shouldn't we? I'm gonna remind you every day how much you mean to me, Remus, I promise."

Roman nods solemnly. "So what you're saying is, I should put a horse head in Remus' bed tonight while he's asleep so that he knows he's at the top of my list."

Patton voices his protests at the same time as Virgil asks "Your list of what?" but Roman's already sinking out with a wink and a wave. "Bye, gotta go behead a horse! Only the freshest disembodied heads for you, buddy."

Remus sighs. "Janus, can I--"

"--Yes, of course you can stay in my room tonight." The other Side is quick to offer, looking up at him with wide eyes. Remus can tell by the desperate edge to his voice that Janus is hoping, begging, pleading that this will be a step towards making up for yesterday's fight.

"A sleepover would be nice. I'd like to make sure I'm in the right Mindscape when I wake up tomorrow." He grins at Janus, who nods so vigorously that Remus thinks his hat might fall off.

"Would you--" Logan starts, but cuts himself off with a frown. "I can create a decoy out of pillows for Roman, and find a way to make sure the sheets don't stain. If that's something you think would be... _helpful_."

They all cringe for a moment at the wording, at the memory of Logan's insult yesterday and the reaction it prompted, but the moment passes, and Remus finds himself smiling. "Thanks, I'd appreciate that."

Logan seems to brighten at that, though Remus still can't see his eyes behind those dark, dark glasses. He nods stiffly, and starts to sink out, but Remus stretches out his arm to stop him.

"Sorry, I know you hate it when we do that, but... You don't have to go right away."

They were almost friends, before, or so Remus had thought. He wants to try again, now that he thinks about it, wants to know who Logan really is, wants to _like_ him like he almost used to. Logan doesn't seem to know what to say, but Janus has already picked up on Remus' idea--and how could he ever have thought that something as small as an argument and some angry words would ever break their bond?

"He's right, you should stay a while! Help us decide what's for dinner--heck, you can help me _make_ dinner, if you like."

"...I _hate_ cooking." Logan says slowly, and Janus damn near _beams_.

"Wonderful! What's your favorite recipe? I want to know everything..." Janus asks as he pulls Logan into the communal kitchen, their voices fading away as they make their exit.

Remus, Virgil, and Patton watch them go, falling into a comfortable silence for a moment until Virgil pipes up.

"So, Remus... When you traveled back..." Remus turns to look at him, and sure enough, Virgil's got his laptop out at the ready. "I just wanna compare our experiences, if that's okay, because I saw some stuff and I want to make sure those guys are from the same dimension you were in."

Remus blinks. "Wait, really? You saw the others? Like, all of them?"

Virgil nods, and Patton perks up. "So did I! Just for a moment, though. Aw, Virge, I wanted to give the other you a hug _so bad_ , the poor guy looked really stressed..."

"Wow, okay. So we all had a glimpse of an alternate dimension today." Remus sits down beside Virgil, summoning his sketchbook and a piece of charcoal. "Let's do some science about it, I guess."

Virgil grins as Patton settles in on the couch, leaning on Remus' shoulder. "It's only science if you write it down. All right, Storyteller, let's hear it."

There are occasional muffled clinks and snippets of conversation floating from the kitchen as Remus recounts the events of the day, Patton warm against his side watching him sketch out their alternate selves. Virgil's fingers fly over the keyboard, his eyes alight with the excitement of newfound knowledge and pure possibility. Roman pops back in at the end of Remus' tale only mildly bloodstained, munching on chocolate-covered cockroaches and bits of broken glass like popcorn as he listens, then he volunteers his own experience in the void-space between worlds.

"He was pretty cool," Roman says of 'Other Remus', wiping blood from his lips with the back of his hand. "But I'd rather have you. I mean, _someone's_ gotta stop me from setting fire to everything when I get bored, and as much as I like excessive violence, I'd prefer to fight someone who doesn't want to use lethal force."

"I've got your back." Remus promises, tossing him a handkerchief even though he knows it's going to be ignored.

"And we've got yours." Virgil says, nudging him with an elbow. "Now, Patton, you spent more time with Other Roman than I did, would you tell me..."

Remus leans back, letting Patton use his chest as a pillow while Roman conjures up some uncooked spaghetti and looks over his new sketches. Normally by this point Remus would be sick of sitting still, bothered by staying in one place for so long, but not today.

Right now, he's exactly where he needs to be.


End file.
